Vous or Tu? It speaks volumes about Habib Diarra that his joy at being elevated from Strasbourg’s Under-17s to the first team was mixed with worry over the two French words for “you.”
Was it appropriate to address new, older teammates by using “tu” be seen as too familiar? In the end, the young midfielder opted for caution and selected the more polite “vous”. Cue wholesale laughter from the older players who told him not to be so ridiculous; he was one of them now.
“After I had the first call with the coach, I sat down and said to my parents: ‘Sunderland’s where I want to be; that’s where I want to play.’ The Premier League was always a goal of mine and the coach presented me with a well-defined and appealing project.”
Almost five years later, Diarra is sitting in an office at Sunderland’s Academy of Light detailing why he ignored overtures from, among others, several top European clubs. His innate courtesy remains but it is clear that the young Senegal international and uncertainty are virtual strangers. Diarra conducts himself with the confidence befitting a player who led Strasbourg at the tender age of twenty and, only last month, returned from Morocco holding an Africa Cup of Nations championship trophy.
A Defined Vision
With the groin injury that sidelined him for much of the opening months of the league campaign healed, Diarra is on a mission to demonstrate precisely why he agreed to become Sunderland’s most expensive acquisition last summer. Analysts in France and Senegal questioned Diarra’s unfashionable choice but he knew all about Régis Le Bris’s standing as a gifted youth coach.
“It came as no shock by the coach’s ability because I already knew what he’s capable of,” says Diarra. “Facing his teams I realised he was very good, very strong in terms of strategy. He’s someone I know is aiding my development. And although our first objective is reaching 40 points, a place in Europe is certainly a achievable goal this season.”
A Unified Environment
Outside, the chilly February wind and driving rain makes the region look as grim as it is often depicted. Internally, things are considerably warmer. The atmosphere is devoid of the type of strain notable at certain clubs where administrative staff are deliberately segregated from Premier League squads. Diarra portrays the environment as “really natural” and commends Le Bris’s role in its formation.
“Our manager repeatedly states to us that we have a familial bond here and we all support each other,” he says. “Each of us takes pride of each other.”
Liberty and Structure
If the structure, rigor and sheer hard yards supporting Sunderland’s defensive organization are a testament to the head coach’s attention to minutiae, Le Bris also likes his players to use their initiative. He offers his midfielders complete licence to be creative and interchange positions.
“The coach sets his tactics out within a framework but we have license to play within it,” says Diarra, who favors playing as a box-to-box No 8. “During matches that is empowering. That autonomy is so important. Our captain, Granit, helps us a lot. He’s a massive influence and a superb role model.”
Journey and Adaptation
Diarra is using a French interpreter but his English has progressed to the point where he can understand most questions. He is now concentrating on acquiring the language skills to also answer them, which would be his third tongue. He is fluent in Wolof, the language he spoke growing up in Guédiawaye near Dakar.
His early maturity helped him deal with the disappointment of needing an operation followed by four months on the sidelines last autumn. “Being injured so soon after arriving here was frustrating, for sure,” he says. “But it was up to me to manage myself.”
Diarra is now anticipating playing in this summer’s global tournament. Given Senegal have been drawn in the same group as France, a poignant reunion awaits the former Les Bleus under-21 midfielder. “I enjoyed representing for France but my heart spoke,” says Diarra. “There’s no regrets. I was born in Senegal; it makes me proud to play for them.”
Comparable feelings apply to Sunderland. “I’ve adapted very well,” he says. “I am really comfortable here.”
